Tag: Mental Health

Oct 12, 2021

Is Gifting Therapy to Someone You Love Helpful or Insulting?

“He is my best friend, a resilient chap – we have known each other since we were in pre-school. The pandemic at first took a toll on his business, next his family – he lost both parents. I called him to check-in on him every-day. That 5 minute check-in turned into 45-60 minutes and before I knew it, I felt overwhelmed. I decided to have a conversation with him and asked him how he felt about therapy. He said he had never tried it before but would be open to it. He also said he didn’t have the bandwidth to... Read More

By RADHIKA BAPAT 5 min read · ; ; .
May 20, 2021

What is an Emotion? And five ways to regulate them

An essay in my 6th grade Hindi textbook was titled “Shok Sabha” and narrated the scene during a Hindu bereavement ritual. In it was described the life of a “Rudaali” (“one who cries”) or a professional mourner from Rajasthan. She was a peasant woman who wore black and was hired to mourn at the untimely death of a young aristocratic man from a wealthy family. She cried aloud and thumped her chest while tears rolled down her cheek and her disheveled hair gave the reader the appearance of someone angst-ridden, inconsolable and overcome with sorrow.For the first time in my life, I remember asking myself “How is it possible that... Read More

By RADHIKA BAPAT 4 min read · ; ; .
Aug 20, 2017

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

[to Simon Bishop] “Nelly, you’re a disgrace to depression.” – Melvin Udall, As Good As it Gets“The only memory of my father I have is the regular beating we got from him. He died young of liver cirrhosis. My mother had psychotic episodes, but at the time we did not know what to call it. She died young. We were raised by a rich uncle who remained a bachelor. I have my own law-firm in Mumbai. I have a beautiful wife & two daughters. I live in a grand sea-facing apartment. What more could I ask for, right? A few... Read More

By RADHIKA BAPAT 2 min read · ; .